A companion parrot is a parrot kept as a pet that interacts abundantly with its human keeper. Parrots are among the most popular companion birds worldwide, but most species are not domesticated and retain the complex behavioural and environmental needs of wild parrots, including flocking, social interaction, varied foraging and regular flight. Reviews of parrot welfare report that many companion parrots develop problems such as stereotypic behaviour, feather damaging and chronic stress when these needs are not met, and that their suitability as pets is often limited by these welfare concerns.
Species of parrots that are kept as companions include large parrots, such as amazons, greys, cockatoos, eclectuses, hawk-headed parrots, and macaws (including hybrids like the Catalina macaw); mid-sized birds, such as caiques, conures, Quaker parrots, cockatiels, Pionus, Poicephalus, rose-ringed parakeets, and rosellas; and many of the smaller types, including budgies, Brotogeris, parakeets, lovebirds(not all species), parrotlets(not all species) and lineolated parakeets.
Some species of lories and lorikeets are kept as pets but are quite messy, and often more popular as aviary birds. Hanging parrots and fig parrots are normally kept as aviary birds and not as pets. Some species of parrots such as pygmy parrots, kākāpōs, night parrots, and about half of the species of parrotlets, are not considered companion parrots due to difficult dietary requirements or lack of availability.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) lists most parrot species in its appendices and restricts international trade in wild-caught birds. Commercial trade in wild individuals of Appendix I species is prohibited, while Appendix II and III species may be traded only under permit systems intended to ensure that exports are not detrimental to wild populations. In some range countries, abundant species such as the monk parakeet are also subject to lethal control programmes because they are treated as agricultural pests.
Maintenance
With the right home, parrots have the potential to make excellent, highly interactive, affectionate, and entertaining pets prized by their owners, but should not be considered easy care or low-maintenance pets. Tame companion parrots require daily attention and interaction with their owners, and need to be housed in a cage large enough to allow the bird to spread their wings and move about comfortably. Companion parrots also need to be fed a diet that includes fresh vegetables and fruits, and a smaller amount of seeds and grains; dietary requirements vary with species and activity level.
Other elements essential to a companion parrot's well-being include appropriate toys to chew up and play with; veterinary care; and social time out of the cage whenever possible—preferably on play gyms or other out-of-cage perches. Larger parrots can be expensive to care for, messy, destructive, and loud, and some individuals may exhibit some aggressive behaviors during adolescence. Like dogs, parrots require some amount of basic training and proper early socialization to mature into good companions. Their intelligence means parrots learn new behaviors—both good and bad—easily.
Many birds end up having to be rehomed because their owners did not adequately understand the level of care required when they purchased the bird, did not understand how loud they can be, or did not understand how to properly socialize and train their bird. This is especially true for macaws and other species with dramatic colouring, as well as cockatoos due to their intensely affectionate demeanor. These traits unfortunately make them tempting impulse purchases, leading to hundreds of macaws and cockatoos being put up for adoption.
Pellets and formulated diets In more recent years, pellets or formulated diets have become very popular, especially in the US. They offer an advantage over a seed-based diet in that a parrot cannot pick out and eat only its favorite (usually fatty) seeds. The majority of avian veterinarians will recommend a pelleted or formulated diet, and will extensively discuss with owners what their bird should and should not eat.Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) "What To Expect From Your Avian Vet". However, although these offer an easy alternative to other foods, they are not the best for many species. Many pellets contain artificial food dyes and preservatives that may be harmful; however there are "no-color-added" options available on the market.Susan Chamberlain "The Truth Behind Popular Pet Bird Food Myths"
Most pellets contain soy, which is not a part of a parrot's natural diet; however, the diet of wild parrots cannot be replicated in captivity. Avian veterinarians and nutritionists agree the pelleted and formulated diets are the best base diet for pet birds. Although pellets may be advertised as a "complete diet," there are dozens of species of parrots commonly kept as pets, all with varying nutritional needs.Donald J. Brightsmith & Debra McDonald. "Scarlet Macaw diets in Tambopata, Peru: studying wild parrots to improve captive bird nutrition" . Retrieved on 17 December 2009.Carol Highfill. "Different Species, Different Diets Environment, Climate, Evolution". Retrieved on 17 December 2009. There are still many birds which develop problems such as vitamin toxicity, fatty liver disease or gout, despite being on a pelleted diet.Bill and Sandy Harrison. "FEEDING OUR BIRDS Part I - Nutritional Needs". Retrieved on 17 December 2009.
A common mistake made by owners feeding pellets is over-supplementing them with fresh food. As a pellet is, essentially, a supplemented grain, supplementing them even more "dilutes" the diet, making the pellets less efficient and the diet unbalanced.Malcolm Green. "Pellets - Yes or No" . Retrieved on 10 April 2009. The best diet for a bird should be determined by an avian veterinarian.
Additional diet requirements While a wild diet can never be replicated, it can be used as a guide for a companion parrot's diet. One aspect that can be mimicked is the variety of foods in the diet. Parrots in the wild spend a lot of time being active, flying and searching for food. In captivity, parrots spend much less energy daily, so the bird will need less food. Because of this, foods with a high-fat content (such as fatty seeds) should be fed sparingly, since a companion parrot does not get the amount of exercise to necessitate such a high-fat diet. Adding some variety to the parrot's diet not only adds nutritional value but also enrichment for the mind.
Adding fresh fruit and vegetables Fresh fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals and are an important addition to a pelleted diet. Raw fruits and vegetables are most suitable, if thoroughly rinsed before feeding them to the parrot. Canned produce has a high-salt content and also requires rinsing before serving to the bird. Cooking the produce removes some of the nutrition. Companion parrots enjoy a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, lists of which are often found on the internet.
Foods to limit or avoid Some foods (including some fruits and vegetables) are toxic to parrots and should never be fed to them. All fruit pits and seeds, any part of an avocado, chocolate, caffeine and alcohol should never be given to parrots. Other foods are not necessarily toxic, but should only be given in a limited capacity. Two examples of this are garlic and onion. Another food to be limited is dairy products. Parrots cannot digest lactose and can have digestive problems if given too much dairy. Owners are instructed to give dairy products as a treat and only sparingly. While companion parrots can enjoy many of the foods that their human caretakers eat, foods that are too high in salt, fat or sugar can cause health problems and lead to poor diet and nutrition if given to parrots too regularly.
As pets
Parrots can be rewarding pets to the right owners, due to their intelligence and desire to interact with people. Many parrots are affectionate, even cuddly with trusted people, and require a lot of attention from their owners constantly. Some species have a tendency to bond to one or two people, and dislike strangers, unless they are regularly and consistently handled by different people. Properly socialized parrots can be friendly, outgoing and confident companions.
When tame, parrots may allow and appreciate petting and cuddling from their owner; however, in certain circumstances, such as petting the back and beneath the wings (in the wild, only the bird's mate will touch a parrot in this manner), the bird may misinterpret this physical contact as sexual behaviour. This may then lead to unwanted hormonal aggression, nesting behaviour and chronic egg laying in pet birds.
Most pet parrots take readily to trick training. Trick training can also help to redirect a bird's energy and prevent or correct many behavior problems. Some owners successfully use well behaved parrots as therapy animals. Some owners have trained their parrots to wear parrot harnesses (most easily accomplished with young birds) so that they can be taken to enjoy themselves outdoors in a relatively safe manner without the risk of flying away. Parrots are prey animals and even the tamest pet may fly off if spooked.
Although parrots can be messy pets—often throwing food and damaging furniture with their beaks if they can—most parrots may be potty trained to some extent and are generally odorless; however, certain species of Amazona and Pionus have a distinctive odor most owners find pleasant. Most parrot species, with some notable exceptions, are relatively good pets for most pet allergy sufferers. However, all the species of white cockatoos produce large quantities of dust from their powder down feathers, which may be problematic for people with allergies. Cockatiels, rose-breasted cockatoos, and greys also produce smaller amounts of feather dust.
Behavior
Different species (sometimes even different individuals within species) can vary greatly in temperament, noise, and talking ability. For example, Pionus parrots generally have a reserved stance, while at the other end, large cockatoos need at least several hours of attention daily. The upbringing and genetic inclination of an individual bird plays a major role in determining its disposition, regardless of species.
Many of the larger parrots are unsuitable in an apartment setting due to noise level. Although all parrots will make some noise, species that are generally less noisy include parrotlets, budgies, cockatiels, Pyrrhura conures, Pionus, caiques, greys, and usually Poicephalus. Many of the other species of conures can be loud birds. Cockatoos, and many macaws and amazon parrots can be very loud, though normally only at certain times of the day and some birds will learn to scream for attention.
Many people are initially attracted to parrots for their ability to talk, sing, and mimic noises they are exposed to. Some parrot species such as greys, eclectus, quaker parrots, male and some female budgies, and some species of amazon parrots, macaws, and Psittacula are frequently good talkers and mimickers, although there is no guarantee that any individual parrot will talk. Many parrots learn to use words in context; for example, calling family members by name, or requesting certain food items by name. Other species are poor talkers, but popular for their affectionate or playful personalities.
Parrots need a cage large enough to exercise in, stretch their wings, and climb if it will not be out for a good part of the day. Without exercise, parrots tend to become obese and unhealthy.